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[Stellajane]

I've said it before I know, but this is really weird stuff!

This cycle I've felt very strange. I've been having full blown hot flushes and sweats during the night but oddly my bladder's felt great - absolutely no irritation and no need to get up more than once during the night.  The other thing I've noticed which is completely new for Utro is that I've had hot flushed cheeks (a reaction I usually get from colourings). Its possible I'm developing a reaction to some component of the capsule. Maybe 5 years use is going to be my limit?

[Dancinggirl]

I got a strange itchy rash around my chin and the back of my head with Utrogestan - this type of rash is listed as one of the side effects.  I really question whether it's the perfect progesterone it's supposed to be. Frankly I think I was allergic to it - though I felt rather chilled and happy on Utro, I now realise I was very sedated and spaced out so perhaps not ideal.
I actually think we may need to adjust or change what we use depending on where we are in our meno journey.  Perhaps our bodies change, so, what has worked for some time actually stops working so well after a certain amount of time.
Maybe a break from HRT may be a good idea Stellajane - reassess the situation?  It's good to take the break in winter as I find as the flushes won't be so severe - now the weather has cooled down I've had very few flushes!!!! DG x

[Mary G]

SJ, you can say that again, Utrogestan is weird stuff.

How many capsules did you take before you started to feel strange and what dose?

I have an unsubstantiated theory that there is a tolerance threshold for Utrogestan and unfortunately it would appear that for many women it is very low.  I can't explain why you have had a problem this month that you have not experienced before but equally I can't explain why I developed a severe intolerance to all types of progesterone used in HRT post menopause other than to guess that it has something to do with not producing my own hormones anymore.  I am hoping that now I am producing my own hormones again by taking DHEA everyday this will stop but obviously there is no guarantee that it will work long term.

Could you get away with taking less Utrogestan?

[Jenna]

Could the manufacturers have changed one of the components of the capsule?

[Mary G]

SJ, would it be worth taking antihistimines while on the Utrogestan phase?  I used to have itching all over my body at night and a nasal drip while taking synthetic progesterone which was an allergic reaction and the antihistimines works for that. 

I do wonder if they have changed some of the ingredients though. 

[Michelle46]

Dancinggirl
If I decided to give Hrt a break and after a few weeks decided to start using gel again how long would it take to get into my system again?

[Night_Owl]

SJ, wonder if it could be your own natural (background) estrogen levels have dropped further - that great thing that continues to happen as we march further into meno - and Utro doing its estrogen negating effect work (too) efficiently. 

Utrogestan is a strange drug - I find the side effects different with each use - always not good though!  For example, last time, from night 3 onwards, I woke every night at c.4am with horrid sweats, 'washing machine head' and insomnia- I usually only get that for a few nights.  Utro's diuretic effect has also been stronger too, with a parched mouth and drinking a whole pint+ of water every night.  Always from 3rd Utro capsule, the 'cumulative effect' of progesterone overload sets in.

The flushed cheeks and full blown flushes perhaps could maybe suggest more estrogen deficiency than an allergic reaction?  The diuretic effect maybe, if you haven't had to get up in the night more than once, could you be a tad dehydrated ...

So difficult to work our what our bodies are doing, isn't it.

[Dancinggirl]

Michelle - I have found that a ‘reboot' of HRT can be a good idea, if no other reason than to gage whether HRT is doing it's job or indeed whether you still want to continue with HRT - the side effects can be outweighing the benefits. 
If we are told to stop HRT for some reason I do think that, because we feel dependant on HRT for our welling, we physiologically don't cope so well.  If however we take the break because we ourselves have decided this, then this can make the break a more positive experience - we can be more objective about the symptoms that return (if any) and still have the option to restart the HRT if we feel we need to as we are in control.
A good break of 6-8 weeks (possibly 3 months) is probably best and when and if you restart HRT then it will take the usual 1-2 weeks to start to do it's magic - however this will vary as we are all different.  DG x

[Mary G]

SJ, I think nightowl has a point about your oestrogen levels, they may have dropped again and this will mean the progesterone is too dominant so it might be worth upping your dose of Oestrogel.

Secondly, you are only using 1 pump of gel but taking 100mg Utrogestan for 10 days every month which is quite a lot of progesterone and using a conservative estimate means the whole process is taking up at least 18 days of the month from starting the Utrogestan to finishing the bleed. 

Would it be worth doing a long cycle or switching to the Professor Studd regime?

[2cats]

Hi Stellajane, so you are using Utrogestan vaginally but still getting side effects? I'm going to try it vaginally for the first time next month and was really hoping that it has less side effects for me , such as less headachey feeling, ridiculously dry mouth, unpredictable irritability....
My symptoms are rearing their ugly heads again after a continuous improvement over the last 5 years, and so I really want to go back to my GP and ask for a blood test to check my hormone levels but I know she will say there is no point as I am on HRT, but I think it should still show if my levels have dropped in spite of my hrt.... Do you think it's ok for me to push/insist on having one?
 

[Hurdity]

It is weird stuff isn't it I agree? For example this cycle I barely knew I was taking it. I always feel zonked out for the first day or two as the sedative effects kicks in. Then I get used to that, and then often feel progessively more foggy headed from about Day 5 or 6, which sometimes develops into a migraine. Sometimes alcohol when I'm taking it also springs a migraine and sometimes I get dreadful pms when I withdraw from it. It usually affects my bladder - and makes me get up in the night once or twice (ie more than usual) - but not this time - just the once and sometimes not, and I went away for a long weekend and had loads of alcohol no problem .

However I have tried a new way of taking it which might be good for those who take 200 mg vaginally as I do especially with longer cycles. I decided to mimic nature and start off with 100 mg for two days, then 8 days of 200 mg and then 2 days of 100 mg. I am sure this has lessened the side effects. Also as I have said before I am convinced that plumping up the vagina with oestrogen  for a week before I start taking it and keeping this up while I am using it - helps to limit the systemic absorption. There is no work on this but I think it would be worth a trial - don't thiink the medical porfession would be interested though as it's a bit of a niche area!!! Anyway I use Vagifem 10 mcg every other day in the week leading up to starting the Utrogestan. Bit of a faff and could play havoc with sex life for shorter cycles but fine for longer ones. I also have a slightly higher dose of oestrogen than I used to (62.5 mcg patch) due to taking testosterone so this may also affect the severity of side effects ( ie lessen them?). Who knows?

2cats - maybe think about doing the same if you are going to use it vaginally? No need for blood tests.....

Hurdity x

[Sunnydays]

SJ - I don't take Utrogestan but I've noticed the last few weeks on my hrt I've started sweating at night and had itchy skin that's been mild hives. Something in the air maybe?
Hurdity - I like your idea of increasing/decreasing the progesterone. This is something I suggested in a post a while ago. I do this with the Evorel to the extent I ease off the patch amount at the end. Coincidence or not but the side effects don't seem so great.

[Rhiner]

Interesting post about increase and decrease the prog during a cycle from Hurdity.  I am almost 6 weeks of taking Utro 100mg every other day and a small rash has appeared around my mouth, hope this is not the start of a reaction!

[Rhiner]

thanks StellaJane, I will. Thats good to know. I did come out in a bit of a rash around my nose when I was pregnant, almost acne like.  Fingers crossed it will be OK.